And cars get more powerful, heavier, bulkier and faster every year. I'm a car fan, always was, but I start to believe limiting weight and engine size for cars could make sense. I think setting some boundaries would boost innovation and not make man's favorite toy less attractive.

Our small residential street is limited to 30 Km/h = 20 mph. Most city roads are 50 km/h = 30 mph. And the Autobahn 5 minutes drive away is 100 km/h = 65 mph because it's near a major intersection. Further south, beyond the intersection, it has no limit. You can drive at (say) 200 km/h = 125 mph, but watch your rear mirrors: a Porsche may be coming up at over 250 km/h = 155 mph ...

I have only once driven at over 250 km/h, but my normal cruising speed on longer trips was 180 - 200 km/h. Anything more demanded too much concentration, or was impossible because of traffic density.

We are so slow over here compared to you! Of course our highways, at least in the congested areas, are completely unsuitable for such speeds. I think in parts of Texas and out in Wyoming and other western states that the speed limits can be much higher that they are on the eastern seaboard.

driving my Skoda Yeti, (4x4 with the 2 litre VW 140bhp Diesel engine), at around 100/110 kmh, (say 65 to 70 mph), on the Autoroute/Motorway/Freeway - I get 50 miles per Imperial, (UK) gallon, which would be 42 miles per US gallon, (an Imperial gallon is 1.2 US gallons, I believe) - which would be about 17 kms per litre

Driving at 130 kmh, (82 mph), the consumption drops to below 40 mpg - i.e. the car uses just over 20% more fuel - and to tell you the truth the drive is far less stressful and journey time are hardly any longer.

The Yeti is about as aerodynamic as a "house brick" so speeds about at 75 mph really do use up "the juice"

speed limit? what does that mean? I think I saw some signs about that somewhere, but in Rome and anywhere in Italy further South, such silly things are ignored, along with no-parking zones, pedestrian crossings, etc. Also, the cars they sell here do not seem to come with turn signals. Can you tell I am a disgruntled foreigner who moves around on foot (and public transport)?

Our small residential street is limited to 30 Km/h = 20 mph. Most city roads are 50 km/h = 30 mph. And the Autobahn 5 minutes drive away is 100 km/h = 65 mph because it's near a major intersection. Further south, beyond the intersection, it has no limit. You can drive at (say) 200 km/h = 125 mph, but watch your rear mirrors: a Porsche may be coming up at over 250 km/h = 155 mph ...

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I know how this feels. When we lived in Munich there were plenty of sections of the nearby A-bahns that had no limit. coming from the UK it was really disconcerting. When you check your mirror in the UK the guy coming up behind you is doing 70-8- MPH - maybe a little more - but the guy on an A-bahn doing 120-130 in his Porsche/M-B/BMW is terrifying. You instinctively judge how much time you have before the guy doing 70-80 is going to be alongside you, but it's impossible to judge the guy doing 120. I never got used to trying to judge how safe it was to overtake on the A-bahns where there was no limit.

When I'm heading the Atlantic ocean through France, life is easy with cruise control and 130 km/h max. speed.......

The only disadvantage is that french drivers do overtake you with their cruise control adjusted just only 1.36789 km/h faster than you. When I'm on the right side and a truck is at the horizont, it's fascinating that the french drivers block you even the 3. track is empty when the trailer is directly in front of you......

The speed limit of 130 km/h in France is ok for me, only the 110 km/h while raining is boring in the country of Michelin, the best tyre under the sun........

....and I can easily see some charcoal on your lens or sensor????? ;-)

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hehe
It is a Cambridge science park research project to develop a carbon neutral transport system. Apparently they have just discovered that it is possible to power a vehicle with charcoal and water!!
What will they think of next? :tongue:

I used to drive 50.000 km a year, mostly in Germany, but also in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria. Occasionally in France and England. When you drive that much, you do get used to it. More dangerous was when you yourself were doing 200 km/h and someone doing just 100 km/h pulls out in front - good brakes essential

But abroad I always set the cruise control: some countries have very high fines for speeding.

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